The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1887-04-08
with laugh. 1T will be q good wiud.up for

with laugh. 1T will be good wiud-up for
thssysning's entsrtai1pent.' 49,,
u wss now long past midnight, absorbsd, In
ths excitement Of the game, We had sc.rosiv
noticed the fight Of time, or that the adio;nin.
rooms were nearly deserted by their occupants, :,
and that the two other players, at the. otbsr
end Of the apartment in which We were, had
finished theirSown game long since, and be.n
spectatorsof that bstween Thorn and hi, on
ponent, and were now apparently Interested
listeners.
About three years since began Thorn, a
yoang man in Kentucky. the confidential
agent OF large business firm, was entrusted
with sum Of money and commissioned IN
transact some business in New Orleans-ii wa,
his first visit TO that city. lie start ed b,nnv
leaving behind him young wife and lovely
infant Unfortunately, upon one Of the Mis-
sissippi beats, or immsdiatel, upon his arrirstiu
New Orleans, he fell in with professional man
"A man Of play, I mean-you understand =
The gambler nodded. and Thorn continual
by the managemet Of this professional ,
the young man Was enticed 10 q hell induced
to play, piled with wine, stripped Of his money
in short, to use professional word,
'plucked'-' .an.r g p ,
Ella! ha the. old story said the gambler,
'the fate Of pigeons
But 1 have not finished, that which most
interests you is yet to come -
Indeed! Go on
The young man was perfectly sobered BY his
loss he returned 10 his hotel; stung with ro-
morse and half crazy with excitement, he
placed pistol TO his head and blew out his
brains. leaving q tarnished name as IN in.
heritance for his wife and innocent child
But what il all this To me- said the rambler !.
now pale as ashes beneath The flashing eve Of
the speaker; SIS it q moral lesson you're about
to read here, or sermon you have TO preach p
What is it to you + continued Thorn, his
voice quivcring with excitement. 'Ah! I'll
tell you. This meeting Of you and me tonight.
which for three long years I-hnye sought, Is
not mere chanoe. The hand of Heaven is in Il.
Twas three years ago this very night, aye, this
very shosr,' said he, glaneing at his watch,
that the young man 1 spoke of rushed madly
into eternity-not by his own hand but his op
ponent ut the card table is he that should be 40.
countable for that deed of blood-the amount
I hsvs,won this night from you-tha. very nj ,iinq
upon your finger ID hisI am his Broiirr and
you, are his AssdssinP M rfiy
Thorn pronounced these words ineo,firrn,
ringing voice, and as he concluded, brought
his hand down with blow upon the table at
which they were sitting, which was instantly
overturned, as he and his opponent started
simultaneously to their feet. They we're
sosrcelyIsix PAGES apart after spriugng from
their chairs, and both drew their wes pons as
they rose.
Die liar + shouted the gambler, discharg-
ing his weapon the moment he gained his feet.
The bullet ripped open Thorn's waistcoai, and
his watch few in fragments from the pocket,
dangling BY It's chain ; at the same moment his
arm, which was slowly rising, became rigid as
chat OF statue-the pistol ho held exploded,
and the gambler fell back corpse upon the
carpet. This all passed so suddenly Gro NE
could interfere, that we stood as III almos
paralyzed for in instant, while the servants,
alarmed by the noise, and the pslice, came
rushing into the apartment.
Thorn quietly surrendered himself, merely
turning to us and the other two who were in
the room, saying. As he did 30, 'Gentlemen,
bear witness. fred in self defence, aud that
received that villains first fire here and he
pointed to his shattered watch with smile,
and turning, left the room with the officers.
He was tried and acquitted, as it was clearly
proved that his adversary fired upon him first.
The fact of the gambler being q notorious
rascal, whom the community could we'll afford
to spare, might have had some influence with
the jury.
1 have mover me, Thorn since, but the reool-
lection Of that fearful scene is yet fresh and
vivid in my mind, though many yesu have
passed since il was enacted.